The Importance of Being Earnest: Theme & Key Quotes: Deception

Theme: Deception

Deception is a central theme in “The Importance of Being Earnest” and is shown through various forms of duplicity, primarily the practise of ‘Bunburying’.
The characters, notably Jack and Algernon, create fictitious personas to escape social and moral obligations - a criticism of the hypocrisy in Victorian society.

The role of ‘Bunburying’

‘Bunburying’, a term introduced by Algernon, is the act of creating an imaginary person or an elaborate lie to escape demanding social obligations.
Both Algernon and Jack partake in this practice, fabricating ‘invalid friends’ and ‘brother’ respectively, which they use to cover up their double lives.

Implications of Deception

Lies and deceptions cause numerous misunderstandings and comical situations in the play.
Through deception, Wilde explores the superficial nature of the Victorian upper classes and criticises their morally sanctimonious practises.
Deception often masks the characters’ genuine feelings and desires, suggesting a societal pressure to maintain appearances despite personal sentiments.

Key Quotes: Deception

Algernon: “I have invented an invaluable permanent invalid called Bunbury”.
- This quote introduces the concept of ‘Bunburying’ and highlights Algernon’s blatant use of deception to dodge social responsibilities.
Jack: “My name is Ernest”.
- Jack deceives Gwendolen by claiming to be Ernest. This deception is central to numerous plot twists, eventually leading to his self-realisation.
Jack: “Gwendolen, it is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been speaking nothing but the truth”.
- This quote underscores the irony of Jack’s deception, satirising the theme of honesty vs deception throughout the play.

Interconnection with Other Themes

Deception connects to other major themes like ‘Identity Transformation’ and ‘Victorian Morality’, spotlighting the critique of societal norms and hypocrisy of the Victorian upper class.
The concept of ‘Bunburying’ directly engages with deception and dual identities, highlighting the lengths characters would go to maintain societal appearances.

Learning Focus

Focus on how deception contributes to the play’s comedic elements, such as mistaken identities and misunderstanding between characters.
Evaluate how deception shapes character traits and propels character development throughout the play.
Analyse key quotes related to deception, identify their significance and relevance to the narrative and themes.